Boks sweating over duo

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 27: Bryan Habana of South Africa takes on Adam Ashley-Cooper and Trevita Kuridrani (R) during The Rugby Championship match between the South African Springboks and the Australian Wallabies at Newlands Stadium on September 27, 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 27: Bryan Habana of South Africa takes on Adam Ashley-Cooper and Trevita Kuridrani (R) during The Rugby Championship match between the South African Springboks and the Australian Wallabies at Newlands Stadium on September 27, 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Published Sep 29, 2014

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Johannesburg – The Springboks were sweating over the availability of two stalwarts ahead of their Rugby Championship match against the All Blacks in Johannesburg over the weekend, team doctor Craig Roberts said on Monday.

South Africa's bonus-point 28-10 victory over the Wallabies in Cape Town on Saturday had taken its toll with influential eighthman Duane Vermeulen suffering a rib cartilage injury and Bok flyer Bryan Habana recovering from concussion symptoms.

“It was quite a game, when we looked at the stats we almost had 45 minutes of ball in play which is incredible and over 440 tackles made in the game,” Roberts said in Johannesburg.

“I am actually thankful that we only really picked up two injuries in the game.”

Although Habana had been clear to continue play following an assessment by the match doctor, Roberts made the call to pull the winger before the start of the second half.

“When I had a look at him in the change-room he started to develop some symptoms of concussion and we made the decision that he wouldn't come out for the second half,” he said.

“He is doing well at the moment, we have a set protocol that we need to follow before he can be cleared to play.”

While there was serious concern about the seriousness of Vermeulen's injury and his subsequent availability, Roberts said the player could still recover in time for the Test.

“Duane Vermeulen injured a rib cartilage and he was quite sore with rotation and he was struggling on the field so we made the decision to bring him off,” the Bok doctor said.

“We will give him as much time as we can to see if he is ready for the weekend but it is a day-by-day thing and we'll reassess on a daily basis.

“We've had players with similar injuries who got back but I also had players who haven't made it so we'll see how it goes.”

Meanwhile, Roberts had good and bad news on the injury front for the end-of-year tour, with fiery loose forward Willem Alberts set to recover in time, while open side flanker Francois Louw would miss the tour.

Louw underwent surgery last Monday after he had suffered a pinched nerve in his neck in the previous Test against the All Blacks in Wellington.

“Flo is doing well, his surgery was a success, we are very happy with how it went, he is probably not going to make the end-of-year tour. He is one or two weeks short of making that,” Roberts said.

“He is not available for that last game on tour because it falls outside the window.”

Alberts suffered a hamstring tear during the captain's training run on the eve of the Test in Pretoria against Argentina in August and experienced lower back nerve irritation, which required surgery.

Roberts said feedback from the Sharks on Alberts' progress was positive and he should be ready for the tour of Europe in November.– Sapa

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